The present invention relates to a variable magnification copier capable of copying an original document in a zoom magnification change mode when the size of the document and a desired copy size are entered on keys.
In the office automation equipment art, there is an increasing demand for easy and simple manipulations. This is also true with a copier of the type having a zoom magnification change capability which involves dimensional magnification change. Dimensional magnification change has customarily been implemented by an operation board having a dimensional magnification change key, numeral keys, and an exclusive decimal key. Specifically, when the dimensional magnification change key is depressed, a document size display shows "0 inch", for example. Thereafter, when the numeral keys and decimal point key are manipulated to enter a numerical value such as "11.0", the document size display displays "11.0 inch" thereon. When an enter key is pressed, a copy size in inches appears on a copy size display as "0 inch". Then, the numeral keys and decimal point key are manipulated again to enter a numerical value such as "8.5", resulting in "8.5 inch" appearing on the copy size display. Finally, the enter key is pressed again, resulting in the appearance of a calculated magnification change ratio of "77% ".
As stated above, the prior art dimensional magnification change input procedure necessarily requires one to manipulate the decimal point key in the event of entry of size data. Stated another way, the decimal point key is used in the dimensional magnification change mode only. Moreover, the use of the dimensional magnification change mode itself is rare, i.e., a regular size magnification change mode such as A4 to B5 magnification is predominant in the variable magnification change. Nevertheless, all the prior art copiers of the type having a dimensional magnification changing function are provided with a decimal point key. This is contradictory to the demand for easy and simple operations of office automation equipment.